Days & Times:
Wed. & Thurs. at 7 pm
Fri. & Sat. at 8 pm
Sun. at 2 pm
No perf. Sept. 17 & 20
Price: $35
Music & Lyrics by William Finn
Book by William Finn & James Lapine
Directed by Victoria Flores
Musical Direction by Robert Wilder
Presented with generous support from:
Summary
In the throes of writer’s block for an irritating children’s TV show, composer Gordon Schwinn experiences a sudden life-threatening brain disorder which engulfs him and those he loves in a tumultuous, surreal and very funny ordeal. Based on an incident in his own life, William Finn (Falsettos and The 25th Annual County Spelling Bee) explores what is truly important in life and love.
Cast
Jared Hagan (Gordon Michael Schwinn) is an Associate Artist at Cape Rep Theatre where he has appeared in over 25 productions. Some of his favorites include Hairspray, La Cage Aux Folles, Failure: A Love Story, Avenue Q, Drowsy Chaperone, A Class Act, Wintertime and A Year with Frog & Toad. NYC: Two Hearts Bleed As One (Joe’s Pub). Regional: Avenue Q (GEVA), Master Class (Eventide), Streakin’ (New Provincetown Theater), Batboy, Cabaret, Hair (PTC), Floyd Collins, Closer than Ever, The Lion in Winter (Counter Productions), A Grand Night for Singing, Into the Woods, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (HJT), ABC’s of NYC Vol. 1 & 2 (CCFTA) and Talking With (TUTS). Jared would like to give a special thank you to his family, Richard, Penny and Alice.
Jess Andra (Rhoda) is thrilled to be returning to Cape Rep after braving the rapids in Men On Boats earlier this season. Select past roles include: Sandra Bloom in Big Fish, Eva Peron in Evita, Daisy Hilton in Side Show and Mary Magdalene in JCS (The Umbrella), Baker’s Wife in Into The Woods (Seacoast Rep), Sara in Murder Ballad (Wilbury Group), and Squeaky Fromme in Assassins (Curtain Call). Jess is a graduate of The American Musical and Dramatic Academy in NYC. “Some people without brains do an awful lot of talking.” – L. Frank Baum
Trish LaRose (Homeless Lady) is an Associate Artist at Cape Rep Theatre where she has appeared in numerous productions. Favorites include: Fanny Brice in Funny Girl, Mae West in Dirty Blonde, Lady of The Lake in Monty Python’s Spamalot, Serafina Delle Rose in The Rose Tattoo and O.G. Howland in this season’s Men On Boats. Other credits include the National Tour of Urban Cowboy, Legally Blonde at North Shore Music Theatre and her One-Woman show performed in NYC and Cape Cod. She attended The Boston Conservatory. Love to Alex, Maya, the cast & crew.
is thrilled to be a part of this production of A New Brain. Some of her most recent credits include ensemble in Billy Elliot, Bradley in Men on Boats, the Woman in The Woman in Black, Tammy/Amber u/s in Hairspray, Anne in La Cage Aux Folles, Ensemble/Mistress u/s in Evita (Cape Rep), Ariel in The Little Mermaid, Amy in Little Women the Musical, Zaneeta/Marian u/s in The Music Man (CCTC), and Margot in Yours, Anne (ETC). Lindsey thanks her family for supporting her passion, PHD for his unconditional love, and the passionate and talented cast and crew that have put so much love into this amazing show!
is thrilled to be back onstage at Cape Rep, where audiences may remember him from Peter & the Starcatcher (Alf), Failure, A Love Story (Everything but the…), The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Rev. Crisparkle), and Avenue Q (Brian). Other favorite credits include The Drowsy Chaperone (Gangster), The Mikado (title role), Side Show (Boss), Beauty & the Beast (LeFou), Marat/
Sade (Herald), and Lucky Stiff (Harry Witherspoon). Andrew has also appeared with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra and aboard Disney Cruise Line. He is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music.
is thrilled to be making his Cape Rep debut! Most recently he was seen sailing the high seas with Disney Cruise Lines. He also sailed the land seas with national tours of Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story and The Drowsy Chaperone. Favorite roles include Edna in Hairspray, Amos in Chicago, and Dave in The Full Monty. Greg is a proud alumnus of the University of New Hampshire. A native of Massachusetts, A New Brain marks the first time Greg has performed in his home state since high school! He’s very happy to be back! Thanks to friends and family and everyone at Cape Rep for making this possible. More info at GregKalafatas.com
is honored to be a part of this insanely talented cast, for such a beautiful story. You may have seen him in recent Cape Rep shows such as Peter and the Starcatcher and Billy Elliot. Sincere thanks goes to his family, friends, and everyone involved in the production for making this show such an incredible experience!
John Mooney (The Minister) is delighted to be returning to Cape Rep this season, after having had the time of his life making his Cape Rep debut as Wilbur Turnblad in last season’s Hairspray. He’s best known for playing Reverend Gary in NBC’s 30 Rock and is now playing The Minister in A New Brain. There seems to be a pattern here. John will be baptizing babies after tonight’s show and just might perform the occasional bris, because why not. As always, much love to Edna, Fintan, and deepest gratitude to Janine, Mo, and the wonderful people of Cape Rep!
Richard Jay Sullivan * (Roger) Audiences may remember him from past Cape Rep productions of The Woman In Black (The Actor/Arthur Kipps), Good People (Mike), Mack and Mabel (Mack Sennett), Eurydice (Father), A Class Act (Ed Kleban), All My Sons (Chris), Sunday in the Park with George (George) and La Cage Aux Folles (Georges). As director, Born Yesterday (Cape Rep), Two Daughters (W.H.A.T.), Antigone, Man of La Mancha, Secret Garden, Big River (HJT). Off Broadway and Regional acting credits: Circle Rep, Cleveland Playhouse, Wisconsin Shakespeare Festival among others. BFA- Hofstra University; MFA- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee PTTP. Member – AEA. Grateful for his family, Jared, Penny and Alice.
studied acting at Herbert Berghoff Studios and with Claude Underwood; voice with Marie Trafiacante, Katie Agresta and George Geyer; and musical theater with Leland Murray, Barry Kleinbort and Semina DeLaurentis. Noted vocal performances include a one-woman show performed in London and NYC cabarets—Wendy Watson, I Presume. Wendy is one of three co-creators of Mama and Her Boys, which originated at Cape Rep and played in Provincetown and Off-Broadway. She was seen with Margaret Whiting in I Love You Jimmy Valentine in NYC and in Mr. Pickwick’s Christmas for the NY Shakespeare Company. Wendy appeared at Burlington Summer Theatre, An Evening Dinner Theatre, and several times at Carnegie Hall. On Cape Cod, she has worked at Harwich Junior Theatre (A Grand Night for Singing, Mama and Her Boys, The Little Mermaid), and at Cape Rep as Ruth in Wonderful Town, Molina’s Mother in Kiss Of The Spider Woman, Old Woman in Sunday in the Park with George, Sophie in A Class Act, Margaret Johnson in The Light In the Piazza, four Sea Pines Musical Revues, and countless All Our Bests! As a professional ASL/English interpreter, Wendy has interpreted over 40 shows on Broadway and in Boston.
* Appearing courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States, appearing under Special Appearance Contract.
Creative
Victoria Flores (Director) Victoria continues her 10th year working at Cape Rep with A New Brain. Previous Cape Rep Directing credits include A Year With Frog & Toad, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, The Baltimore Waltz, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, Sideman and A Class Act. Thanks Penny and Alice for their unending love, support and magic.
Robert Wilder (Musical Director) received his music training as a flutist, pianist, and harpsichordist performing with various ensembles in America and Europe. While earning a Masters Degree at Ohio University, his interests changed to piano accompaniment and theater. Robert has been a musical director at the Cleveland Playhouse, off-off Broadway, and several universities. On the Cape, he has worked at the Monomoy Theatre, Cape Rep Theatre, Academy Playhouse and the Provincetown Repertory Theatre. Robert currently is the Musical Director at the Cape Cod Theatre Company/Harwich Junior Theater and has stage and musically directed productions of Seussical, Madeline’s Christmas, Promises, Promises, Always…Patsy Cline, The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Sister Act, and The Pirates of Penzance. His musical director credits include The Secret Garden, Big River, Little Women, A Grand Night for Singing, The Robber Bridegroom, Into the Woods, and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.
Cape Rep credits: Regular Singing, Woman in Black, My Name is Asher Lev, Failure: A Love Story, Evita, Jerusalem, Next to Normal, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Anna Christie, Avenue Q, Xanadu, Dirty Blonde, A Class Act, Eurydice, Side Man, Wintertime, Beauty Queen of Leenane, and Circle Mirror Transformation. Recent designs in the Northeast include Wilde Tales (World Premiere), The Odyssey (World Premiere), Trouble in Tahiti (Glimmerglass Festival), Julius Caesar (Shakespeare & Co./Orlando Shakespeare Theatre), and The Fabulous Lipitones (WHAT). Regional credits: Rocky Horror Show, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Million Dollar Quartet (Theatre Under the Stars), Heathers, Sweet Potato Queens (World Premiere), First Date (Houston Press, Best Musical 2015), Striking 12, Bonnie & Clyde (Broadway World Houston Best Scenic Design Award / TUTS Undergound), Marie Antoinette (Houston Press, Best Scenic Design 2015), The Language Archive (Stages Theatre, Houston–2013 BATEH Scenic Design Award, Broadway World Houston Best Scenic Design nominee), Barber of Seville, Ghost Sonata, The Birds, The Cherry Orchard, The Importance of Being Earnest, Doctor Faustus, Ubu Roi (Classical Theatre Company), Boom (Black Lab Theatre, 2013 BATEH Award Nominee), Mother Divine (New York Musical Theatre Festival), Next to Normal, Much Ado About Nothing (Abilene Shakespeare Festival), 9 to 5 the Musical, The Marvelous Wonderettes, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Legacy Theatre, Atlanta). International: Henry V, As You Like It, Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged, Richard III (Prague Shakespeare Company, Czech Republic). Opera: The Magic Flute (San Jose Opera), Faust, Die Fledermaus, Carmen, Lucia di Lammermoor, Marriage of Figaro (New Orleans Opera), Bound, From My Mother’s Mother, Your Name Means the Sea (World Premieres) (Houston Grand Opera – HGOco). Dance: ‘Bout a Stranger (World Premiere / Open Dance Projects), Tsuru (World Premeire / Houston Ballet/Asia Society Texas). Upcoming projects include Pippin (Theatre Under the Stars), and Robin Hood (Glimmerglass Festival). RyanMcGettigan.com
Cape Rep Theatre credits include Men On Boats, The Woman In Black, Mr. Burns–a post electric play, Failure: A Love Story, Jerusalem, and Next to Normal. Phil’s work has been seen internationally in dance, theater, music and other live events. His most recent work includes art direction for Foster the People’s “Sacred Hearts Club” tour, lighting design for Is It Real? – a concert involving a mashup of classical and modern forms of music, voice, and performance in Berlin, Germany, Qurio: Wilkommen in Wunderland for Tui Cruises GmbH, Der Kaiser von Atlantis in Hamburg, Germany, and associate lighting design for the Shanghai Disneyland on Golden Fairy Tale Fanfare and the Tomorrowland Stage.
is a freelance costume and wig designer
who divides her time between New York City and Cape Cod. Carol’s thirty-plus year career extends to Broadway, off- Broadway, regional, and international theater. She is widely known on the Cape for her extensive work for many of the area’s companies including Payomet Performing Arts Center, Provincetown Theater Company, Wellfleet Harbor Actors’ Theater, The Provincetown Tennessee Williams Festival, and Peregrine Theatre Ensemble. Carol is happy to be back at Cape Rep this season.
Robin McLaughlin was resident costume designer at Cape Rep for many years and is pleased to be back for the 2017 season, where she designed costumes for both Men On Boats and Billy Elliot the Musical. She is a nationally-known designer of handmade journey bags and has added custom wedding accessories to her collection. She is excited to be designing props for the first time at Cape Rep.
is happy to be back for her fifth season at Cape Rep! Previous credits include Men On Boats, The Woman In Black, La Cage Aux Folles, Mr. Burns–a post-electric play, Evita, The Light in the Piazza, The Mys- tery of Edwin Drood (Cape Rep Theatre), Barbecue (Lyric Stage), MOMologues, and She Did All That: Betty Ford Speaks Out (The Company Theatre). Allison is a graduate of Bridgewater State University.
Gallery
Photos courtesy of Bob Tucker/Focalpoint Studio.